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Lynden Air Cargo is operating its L-382 aircraft on behalf of the Coulson group of companies to fight fires for the U.S. Forest Service this summer. As a sub-contractor, Lynden is providing a crew and aircraft from June 5 through Sept. 1.

“As of mid-June, we have flown 49 sorties and 62 drops everywhere from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the Mexico border,” says Lynden Air Cargo President Rick Zerkel. “We have dispersed a total of 189,705 gallons of retardant on various fires in New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California.”

Lynden fought the Reservoir and San Gabriel wildfires near Los Angeles in June, helping to contain both, as well as others throughout the southwestern states. In September, the L-382 will return to Australia where it will continue fighting fires there. “We are proud to be helping in this effort and proud of our Lynden flight and maintenance crew on the front lines.” Rick says.

Michelle Fabry, Lynden Air Cargo’s Director of Safety, accepted the Alaska Air Carriers Association (AACA) Safety Award from Director John Duncan of the Federal Aviation Administration at the February award luncheon in Anchorage. With the 2015 award, Lynden has received 14 consecutive safety awards which are presented to incident and accident-free carriers each year.

“We are very proud of our safety record,” Michelle says. “It all goes back to our employees and their dedication to safety in the operation of our aircraft, maintenance, cargo handling and following established procedures.”

Also in February, Lynden Air Cargo received news that it is the only carrier in the nation to receive approval of its Safety Management System Implementation Plan (SMSIP) on first submission to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Implementation Plan details how Lynden will meet the FAA’s regulatory requirements. “We’ve been working on SMS Implementation for over three years. At the time of submittal, we showed that our plan was 80 percent complete with full implementation scheduled for the end of 2016,” Michelle explains.

A team of department managers from operations, cargo services and maintenance worked together to develop the plan which included going through every FAA line item and detailing how Lynden would meet the requirement. According to Michelle, carriers who do not receive initial approval receive a visit from a team of FAA officials to help them finish the plan correctly. “This is a big deal for us. We have a great group here that got it right the first time.” Full implementation of the SMSIP is not required until 2018, so Lynden is not only ahead of schedule but setting the bar for other carriers.

Lynden Air Cargo, Alaska West Express and Alaska Marine Lines were part of a major wildlife conservation project to relocate 100 wood bison from Girdwood, AK to remote Shageluk, AK in late March. Alaska Marine Lines donated containers that were retrofitted into 'bison boxes' to hold seven animals each. The animals were trucked from Portage to Anchorage for loading into Lynden Air Cargo's Hercules aircraft and the one-hour flight to their new home near Shageluk. The animals were nearly extinct at one point and have not lived in the Shageluk area in almost a century.

Photo credit: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center/Doug Lindstrand

Lynden companies donated containers, employees, equipment and discounted the flights to help the effort. "Wood bison are the largest land animal in North America, and it took Lynden's Hercules aircraft, capable of landing on the short gravel runway at Shageluk, to transport them," says Jim Davis, Lynden Air Cargo Vice President of Marketing and Sales. "We have always been a niche operator, but this move made our top 10 list of unusual moves. We are proud to support this uniquely Alaskan effort."

Photo credit: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center/Doug Lindstrand

Lynden's commitment included Loadmaster Ike McGowan accompanying the animals on the flights and Director of Cargo Operations Jerry Stout loading the animals into the bison boxes at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage, AK. Alaska West Express Driver Doug Scott transported the containers to the back of the Hercules for loading in Anchorage. "It was a huge undertaking. The animals were brought in from the pens, then radio-collared, vaccinated and shuttled through a chute into the containers," Stout explains. "We moved 100 animals with no incidents. All of them are alive and doing well."

"It's been a privilege to work with the Lynden crew. They have been great partners, and we appreciate their support in bringing wood bison back to Alaska's wild," says Cathie Harms, Regional Program Manager for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Division of Wildlife Conservation.

Lynden Air Cargo’s L-100 Hercules aircraft is being put to use flying relief supplies to Vanuatu after Tropical Cyclone Pam devastated the South Pacific Islands March 13. Communications company Digicel Fiji chartered a Lynden Air Cargo plane from Nadi, Fiji, to the capital city of Port Vila within days of the cyclone. It was loaded with food rations and technical equipment to repair towers and networks to restore communications throughout the islands. Now working with the World Food Programme (WFP), Lynden continues to pick up more supplies from Brisbane, Australia, for air delivery to Port Vila in support of humanitarian efforts.

“We are coordinating flights as quickly as possible in cooperation with government authorities,” says Rick Zerkel, Lynden Air Cargo President. “With 65,000 people left homeless from Cyclone Pam, there is an urgent need for relief supplies. We are committed to helping in any way we can for as long as our services are needed.”

Lynden operates a fleet of six Hercules around the world specializing in remote site services and requiring minimal equipment for loading and offloading. The unique features of the aircraft make it ideal for flying aid into isolated disaster areas. Lynden Air Cargo has provided disaster relief assistance at some of the world's worst disasters, including the Haiti earthquake in 2011 and the Indonesian earthquake and Samoan tsunami in 2009. Working with the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), the Red Cross and the U.S. Military, Lynden has delivered emergency vehicles, portable hospitals, food, water and relief workers to ravaged areas across the globe.

Lynden Air Cargo is one of the Lynden family of companies, whose combined capabilities include shipping to Alaska, truckload and less-than-truckload transportation, barge service to Hawaii and Alaska, charter barges, worldwide air and ocean forwarding, third-party logistics, trade show shipping, intermodal bulk chemical hauls, scheduled and chartered Hercules L-382 cargo aircraft and multi-modal logistics. Lynden companies are repeat winners in the annual Quest for Quality awards presented by Logistics Management magazine.

For more than 50 years, the World Food Programme (WFP) has been getting food to wherever it is needed in the world, saving the lives of those affected by war, civil conflict and natural disasters. Last month, the program received a boost when Lynden Air Cargo took on a three-month assignment to provide air lift of food and supplies from Assosa, Ethiopia, to Doro, South Sudan, with the potential of several other locations within Africa. Nearly 150,000 South Sudanese have sought asylum in western Ethiopia since conflict erupted in their homeland in late 2013.

“We expect between three to four flights a day, six days a week,” explains Jim Davis, Lynden Air Cargo Vice President of Marketing and Sales. “Our task is to make deliveries to ensure the South Sudanese refugees receive the food they desperately need. I would like to give credit to the Lynden employees who volunteered to do this work. This is one of the most remote places in the world and very poor living conditions. We have an amazing group of people. It is always inspiring to me how everyone rises to the challenges we face.”

The WFP is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger. On average, the WFP provides food to 100 million people per year in 77 of the poorest countries. This year, WFP Ethiopia plans to assist nearly 6.5 million vulnerable people with food and assistance, including school children, farmers and refugees. Up to to 350,000 refugees are expected in Gambela, Ethiopia, by the end of the year.

“We are looking forward to the challenge as this is a new market for us in a new part of the world. We have put together a great team and are excited to get started,” Jim says.

Lynden International’s Chicago and Anchorage teams put together a charter move for the U.S. Coast Guard this summer to deliver radio equipment to various points in Alaska. Eighty-two crates of Motorola equipment were flown from Chicago to Anchorage and were then transported via Lynden Air Cargo Hercules to Kodiak and Juneau while the rest of the cargo was distributed across Alaska. “The move was flawless,” says Jason Hiti-Shannon, Chicago Operations Manager.

“Chris Thallemer, Robert Kokoszka and I went over at midnight to meet the chartered 747 on the field in Chicago to oversee the loading for the flight to Alaska. In Anchorage, we had two Lynden Air Cargo planes waiting to carry a portion of the freight to Juneau and Kodiak. I can’t say enough about the folks in Anchorage pulling off the various transfers and deliveries. It was a great team effort and resulted in a very happy customer.”

Lynden Air Cargo has promoted Richard Zerkel to president. Zerkel succeeds retiring president Judy McKenzie. Zerkel began his career with Lynden Air Cargo in 1999 as a first officer on the company's Hercules aircraft. He was promoted to captain and then director of operations in 2008. He most recently was vice president of operations.

"Rick has an outstanding leadership record delivering safe and high-quality services for Lynden customers," says Lynden Inc. President & CEO Jon Burdick. "His 15 years of experience in various positions with the company ensures Lynden Air Cargo customers and employees are in good hands."

Before joining Lynden Air Cargo, Zerkel held management positions at various airlines in Alaska. He is a member of the executive council of the National Air Carriers Association (NACA) and a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of Anchorage.

Lynden Air Cargo is part of the Lynden family of companies offering truckload and less-than-truckload freight to Alaska, charter barges, rail barges, intermodal bulk chemical hauls, scheduled and chartered air freighters, domestic and international shipping via air and ocean forwarding, customs brokerage, trade show shipping, remote site construction, sanitary bulk commodities hauling and multi-modal logistics. Lynden companies are repeat winners in the annual Quest for Quality customer service awards presented by Logistics Management magazine.

Lynden Air Cargo Senior Aircraft Mechanic James Martiny (left in photo) nominated Chris Diltz and Lynden Air Cargo for an award for supporting employees who are also National Guardsman and Reservists. The Office of the Secretary of Defense for Employer Support of the National Guard and Reserve agreed with Jim and issued a “Patriotic Employer” recognition plaque to Chris and Lynden Air Cargo this Spring.

The patriotic award recognizes individual supervisors and bosses for support provided to a member serving in the National Guard or Reserve. Employer support includes a wide-range of measures such as flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence if needed.

“Since Chris, and Lynden as a whole, supported me in fulfilling my Reserve Duty requirements I thought he deserved recognition,” James says. “Also, Lynden has a track record of hiring veterans, which by my count, is approximately 66 percent of our Lynden Air Cargo maintenance staff.” James is stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base with the 477TH Fighter Group as a F-22 Raptor Crew Chief in the U.S Air Force Reserves.

“Being flexible with my guys that are in the Guard and Reserve seems like normal operating procedure to me,” says Chris, Lynden Air Cargo Maintenance Manager. “They are taking the time in their lives to support our nation. I do my best to support them by being flexible with their schedules during their times of service.”

Over the past year, Lynden Transport, Lynden Air Cargo, Alaska Marine Lines and Lynden International have replaced propane forklifts with energy efficient electric models. “Not only are the new lifts better for the environment, they perform better, too,” explains Charlie Mottern, Lynden Transport Director of Maintenance. “Independent drive motors allow both tires to spin together which makes them great in the snow.”

Lynden Transport has replaced 21 lifts so far and five more are being added this year. “This brings the total to 26 electric lifts of 45 dock lifts company wide,” Charlie says. The Tacoma location is next for electric conversion. All Lynden Transport locations in Alaska use electric lifts. Lynden International in Los Angeles has two lifts and Anchorage has three. Three more will be added this year to make the Lynden Air Cargo-Lynden International facility in Anchorage 100 percent electric.

Alaska Marine Lines purchased six new electrics in 2012 and bought six more this year. Twelve of the 18 lifts in the Container Freight Station (CFS) are now electric models, which emit 50 percent less carbon than propane lifts. With 46 electric lifts in operation by the end of 2013, savings will total $138,000 per year in energy costs while reducing 362 metric tons of CO2 going into the atmosphere.

The electric lifts are especially useful at Lynden Transport’s Prudhoe Bay Service Center where snow and ice are everyday factors. “The three new lifts definitely provide better traction,” says Service Center Manager John Jansen. “We no longer have to fight the icy ramps when moving freight.” In Anchorage, employees report positive changes ranging from cleaner warehouse floors to saving on electricity and heating bills due to a reduction in fan use. Electric lifts do not emit fumes.

“We were asked to fly from Anchorage to Seattle and pick up two engines to take to Cordova for one of their aircrafts that had experienced maintenance issues,” explains Jim Davis, Director of Marketing & Traffic for Lynden Air Cargo. “We headed out of Anchorage, got into Seattle about 2 a.m., departed at 4 a.m. and delivered the engines to an Alaska Airlines maintenance crew that was standing by in Cordova. Two days later we made a second night flight to retrieve the engines they had removed and take them back down to their maintenance base in Anchorage. It’s always nice to get positive feedback about our performance.” Lynden’s Hercules is shown making a night delivery in the photo above.